By Retta Race on SwimSwam
David Popovici of Romania recently made an important decision regarding his approach to the Paris 2024 Games.
The 19-year-old former world record holder has decided to put his education on hold, instead going all-in in his quest to top the podium with Olympic swimming action now fewer than 80 days away.
Popovici revealed last year that he intended to study psychology at the University of Bucharest.
At the time, the teen phenom said, “I am sure that I have made the right choice, and I am happy that, alongside my academic activities, I will also receive support in achieving new accomplishments in the field that has brought me the most beautiful achievements, swimming.”
However, Popovici has switched gears, saying that his balancing work in the pool and work at the university was compromising what he is trying to achieve.
“I wanted to try with college in the year of the Olympics to do both, but I saw that I couldn’t focus on training with college as much as I would have liked.
The Adrian Rădulescu-coached superstar said, “I chose to freeze the [academic] year; we’ll focus on what is more important this year and next year we try again.” (ProSport)
Popovici is coming off a successful Romanian Championships last month where he earned 4 gold medals across the 50m/100m/200m/400m free events.
His season-best times of 47.86 in the 100m and 1:45.10 in the 200m rank him 10th and 8th in the world, respectively, at the moment.
The teen is the former world record holder in the 100m free, clocking a time of 46.86 at the 2022 European Championships. That stood until this year’s World Championships when Chinese speedster Pan Zhanle dropped it down to 46.80.
Popovici’s lifetime best 1:42.97 in the 200m free also from those 2022 European Championships rendered him the 3rd-fastest man in history.
His performances in 2023 weren’t quite up to the same caliber as Popovici finished 6th in the 100m free (47.83) and 4th in the 200m free (1:44.90) at that year’s World Championships.
Popovici’s times last month, however, are an indication he’s on the right upward trajectory as he eyes the all-important Olympic Games on the horizon.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Romanian David Popovici Puts College On Hold To Focus On Paris